1) What is the main difference between the misfit 2012 and 2013? Thinking about getting the 2013,but don't want something too heavy. I ride freestyle/freeride. I ride all RPMs 2012. Looking for something comfortable, but stiff enough to do freestyle, as well as good upwind drive.

2) Another board that looks comparable in shape is the crazyfly raptor pro ltd 2013. Know this one is certainly lighter, but other than that don't know much.

The pads/straps changed for 2013 vs. 2012 Misfit. Also the fast track was modified in 2013 to give it a cleaner look and it's a little sturdier. The Misfit is a great freestyle board. It has a pretty flat rocker which will really help you get upwind better than a board with a bigger rocker. It's made out of wood so it's stiff, but it will flex when you load it up and snap back into place when you pop off the water. I hope that helps!

Depends on where on the spectrum for freeride/freestyle you sit. Are you on flat water, ocean, choppy tidal estuary? How far into freestyle do you want to venture?

I cannot comment on the misfit but I have ridden the 2013 raptor pro LTD, 136 x 41. Now I have a 2013 laluz 132 and we know how light they are, well this bigger board is even lighter! The carbon usage has allowed the thinnest tips I have ever come across that are still strong and stiff enough. It has similarities to the monk in that there is ample measure for fast freeride, but with way more feedback and this allows much easier control and pop. Very comfortable to ride. My brother has one now and his riding in the past two weeks alone has improved markedly. A great freeride board that sits somewhere in the middle between freeride and freestyle.

I want to try the 132, (which is on its way) as it will be stiffer across the smaller length. The reason is for freestyle pop, with comfort (albeit less than the 136 raptor) the laluz wins hands down. My god that board is just exceptional for load and pop considering it is not a full blown freestyle board. I have written a review on the Aussie forum if you want to read it.

But I need to test the raptor in a 132 to make a real comparison.

If you are more on the freestyle side I'd look at the laluz or the misfit (just guessing), but if you really are in the middle then raptor, or maybe middle slightly tipped towards freestyle.

Oh yeh the raptor is out with my bro on an 11, edge when I'm on my zephyr...it goes real early!

Hey Westozzy I have the slingshot 2012 misfit and was thinking about a xenon 2012, do you think a 132 would suffice or should I go to the 135 ? I'm 84kgs and have a 17 and 12m . The misfit does spray a bit of water over the ankles but having the footstraps wide could contribute to this. Also it is a heavy board, alot of weight in the pads.

Hey Westozzy I have the slingshot 2012 misfit and was thinking about a xenon 2012, do you think a 132 would suffice or should I go to the 135 ? I'm 84kgs and have a 17 and 12m . The misfit does spray a bit of water over the ankles but having the footstraps wide could contribute to this. Also it is a heavy board, alot of weight in the pads.

Yeh you are in the 135 category. And that's a good thing. I think the 135 would be the perfect size given the outline and flex properties.

Thank you all for your feedback... I originally started this post to help decide between misfit and raptor pro ltd, but in the process was introduced to xenon laluz. Long story short, I am now trying to decide between raptor pro ltd and xenon laluz.

I tested the raptor pro ltd this weekend. Amazing board.. The good: No face spray, good pop, confortable, light, good upwind drive, and bada$$ look... The bad: price and you can feel a bit of bounce on the chop, but nothing extremely bad. conclusion: still undecided.

I will be testing the xenon laluz next weekend.... Really looking forward to it. Have only found praise for this board... Will keep you all updated.

Here you go man a review I just wrote after trying these two exact boards back to back this weekend. Serendipity.

A raptor Pro LTD, A Laluz, a Zephyr and a cold northerly! Righto a day where mad dogs and Englishman, plus kiting desperadoes were out. Damn it was cold for Aussies in 3/2 wetsuits. Been on the crazy fly's carbon carnation the raptor pro LTD in the 136 by 41 quite a bit (my bro owns one now) but this was my first chance to try the 132 version against my Laluz 2013, 132.

So clicked my heels together and chanted 'there's no place like home, there's no place like home and presto I was back on my 10m edge. Ahh... First session was 930 ish to 11ish, 14 to 17, peaking at 18 to 20, then dropping to only 13 to 15. Not a great deal of swell and the northerly was not only bloody freezing, but the water was a choppy washing machine. So I tacked up 400m or so to where some small waves and some flat sections were interdispersed within the water on choppy crack, and warmed up on the Laluz. Read my recent review, nothing new to report, except the ability to pop and carve is getting better every time. It grips like a homeless hobo onto his wine bottle. Comfortable enough even on my dastardly medial minisus injury.

Considering finding a decent platform was like trying to find a 15 yr old virgin in rockingham, doesn't take much time to dial in a load, throw, pop and boost. Nice. Two tacks small tacks (yeh the race in the edge is very handy sometimes) swapped it out for the raptor. Well that's not entirely true. Had to call my bro in who had not tightened his pad screws properly and had pulled his foot straps out, so he was on the the bloody 132. His first comment was "hey that's easier to control the power of my edge in 20 knots"....that's as far as his analytical skills go re kite gear goes I'm afraid.

So repeat. First thing I noticed, a more comfortable ride. You can see those ultra thing carbon tips vibrating in harmony, add in the double concave to separate the water underfoot and yeh a more comfortable freeride oceanic feel. Now the 132 is considerably more stiffer than the 136 (900 versus 600 whatever the fuzz that means, but as a scaler quantity you can get the drift). Also less grippy that the laluz, can slide it out a little better. A much lighter board (I know lighter than a laluz, Christ how light do you want to get!) so easier to throw around. As a one board oceanic freeride option (for a rider 75 to 80, or 85 like my bro, but you would have to suck it up, grows some balls and fly an 11m edge...just joking of course), this would be a great option. But with a greater rocker angle at the end compared to the laluz (the laluz seems to have a more progressive rocker, while the raptor stays quite flat until it curves up at the tips more and in the end the raptor tips sit higher), rounder tips and a double concave versus a single, you have to lose something. There is always a compromise on every board. The laluz is still much easier to load, pop and boost. Don't get me wrong the stiffness of the raptor in the 132 makes a great board for freeride boost, (much better than others I have talked about before..not mentioning any names here), the laluz seems to be in a class of its own or from what I've ridden before. Also the raptor does have a tendency to lose power during the turns, but this can be mitigated somewhat once you understand it (My bro did mentioned this god bless him). The laluz plains more easily, can point it higher and it maintains good speed through the turns, well good for a TT, nothing beats the mako for this, apart from a SB. So with one handeth giveth, with the other it taketh.

The laluz would really suite someone like myself who has a multiple board quiver and specifically want s a board with exquisite pop potential and yet comfortable for the average joe. The raptor would be an ideal one board freeride option, or someone who really is searching for comfort with a great degree of popability, but not in the same class as the laluz for this characteristic. Enter

the Zephyr....(dramatic music)... took kids to the shops ( my definition of hell, but missus needed a break) got back out from 3 to 430pm, starting at 11 to 13, but then just hovering at 10 to 11. (Personally I think it started 11 to 13 but then sat at more like 11 to 14, until the last 20 minutes 10 to 13), but that's what the charts say? Cauncy said a while back that he now gets excited about 15 knots now. Well I get that now, although I still get excited at 11 (lighter than that fatso). Tell ya why though, the zephyr is probably the best kite for what it does, that I have ever come across. I just can t describe how perfect this kite is for developing enough apparent wind, yet with static grunt when you need and such stability and yet boost ability. And quick enough to do all you need in the soft hooked in freestyle arena...and indeed the unhooked, but I'm no pro and with a dicky knee this door is well and truly closed now.

But there was another beautiful addition. I recently just purchased a crazy fly cruiser pro, 145 by 44. The carbon model. While this could have its own review ('oh god please no I hear you say' okay fair enough), I got this untried, just a gamble. Been through the whole gambit of light wind boards, choptops, skims, sectors, Big SBs, you name it, hated them...except the skim I suppose. Skim is great for a directional dude, but I'm a TT man through and through. Anyhow in the winds mentioned, I did the upwind tack and played around...all with power on tap. That's the diff. Some dudes were out, just getting by, but I was lit and throwing down all I could muster given the knee and my personal limitations re kiting. Even got on a few waves. Bro was on his 11m edge for a bit, when others had gone in, too light and with the voodoo of the edge, even he was cranking upwind on it. He wants one. Feels hell small underfoot, light, grips, was popping really vertical, even With the pull of the 17m zephyr and decent on a wave. Stuff all rocker, but they have built in a fair amount of flex throughout the centre that not only gives it a smooth ride, the body weight creates its own rocker, enough even in those crappy choppy northerly driven waters. Bloody beautiful light wind option, recommend you give it a crack. I had one of my most enjoyable light wind kites in 13 years today, actually the most enjoyable and that was in dick in arse conditions. Just stoked and slowly thawing out... Would love to get on the raptor and laluz on flat water, but I reckon Jason from Westoz might want his carbon crazy fly incarnation back, they are not cheap...but worth it! Hope this helps crew.

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